Remember Barack Obama? Some people don’t know this, but he was actually President of the United States for eight whole years, as recently as 2016. These days, he and his wife Michelle are busying themselves with less political duties, but they retain an interest in both history and culture. To wit, they’ve started Higher Ground Productions, a production company that will work with Netflix to produce original content. Now, we have our first few details about what that content is going to be. [h/t Variety]
First up, an adaptation of Michael Lewis’ The Fifth Risk, which chronicles the chaotic early days of the Trump Presidency; a documentary about the struggles of a Chinese-owned factory operating out of rural Ohio; a TV drama about the world of high fashion written by Thelma & Louise scribe Callie Khouri; and, most intriguingly, a biopic of the great Civil War-era abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
“We think there’s something here for everyone—moms and dads, curious kids, and anyone simply looking for an engaging, uplifting watch at the end of a busy day,” said Michelle Obama in a statement. “We can’t wait to see these projects come to life — and the conversations they’ll generate.”
“We created Higher Ground to harness the power of storytelling. That’s why we couldn’t be more excited about these projects,” Barack Obama said. “Touching on issues of race and class, democracy and civil rights, and much more, we believe each of these productions won’t just entertain, but will educate, connect, and inspire us all.”
These all remain in the early stages of production, but we’ll keep you updated.
